Mast-mounting clip-and-bracket



Jan. 19, 1965 1. s. BLONDER 3,166,284

MAST-MOUNTI N G CLI P-AND-BRACKET Filed Nov. 2, 1962 ISAAC S. BLONDER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,166,284 MAST-MQUNTING CLIP-AND-BRACKET Isaac S. Blonder, West Grange, N.J., assignor to Blonder Tongue Electronics, Newark, N..F., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 235,927 14 Giaims. (Cl. 248-230) The present invention relates to mounting structures and, more particularly, to combined mounting clips-andbrackets suitable for installing electrical and related equipment, such as television-antenna boosting amplifying or converting apparatus, upon masts or similar supports.

The art is replete with various types of clips, clamps, supports, holders and brackets for mounting many different types of equipment upon masts, poles or related structures. Many of these devices involve clamping structures and/ or brackets that require the use of threaded members, nuts or other moving-part securing mechanisms that not only are relatively costly, but somewhat timeconsuming in applying and removing the same, and, in addition, are subject, in their effectiveness, to rust and other elemental conditions.

An object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide a new and improved combined clamp-andbracket that shall not be subject to these disadvantages but that, to the contrary, enables ready application and removal to and from a mast or the like, requires no moving parts or other mechanisms for holding apparatus thereto, and is independent of the weather in the effectiveness of its mounting action.

A further object is to provide a novel clamp-andbracket in which mast-mounted equipment may be readily replaced, with the housing of the equipment itself automatically serving as part of the holding mechanism.

Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter and will be more particularly pointed out in connection with the appended claims; in summary, however, from one of its aspects, the invention employs, in combination, a substantially U-shaped base member. provided with first support means extending upward from the neck of the U thereof and second support means extending upward from the base near at least one of the free ends thereof. Resilient substantially C-shaped clip means are secured to and carried by the first support means substantially parallel to but displaced upward from the base member and with the free ends of the C-shaped clip means disposed on the same side of the first support means as the said free ends of the base member to receive the mast structure therein. A housing-to-be mounted is provided with means for receiving the second support means automatically to lock the housing across the mouth of the U-shaped base member.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is an isometric view illustrating a preferred form.

A substantially horizontal-plane U-shaped base member 1, as of metal rod, is illustrated as provided with a first vertical support near the neck 1 of the U- in the form of a pair of upwardly extending substantially vertical metal rods 3. A pair of resilient-metal clips 5 of substantially C-shape, and of dimensions smaller than the U of the base member 1, is symmetrically secured to the support 3, as by welding or integral construction or the like, in planes above, but preferably substantially parallel to, the horizontal base member 1. The arms 5' of the clips 5 are shown converging toward the free ends 5", which are preferably reversely curved, thereby affording ready resilient application to and removal from masts 7 of a range of cross sections, such as conduc- 3,156,284 Patented Jan. 19, 1965 ice remove the clamped structure 1, 3, 5 from the mast 7.

In order to prevent this result and at the same time to provide a weatherproof and inexpensive apparatus-attaching-and-removing mechanism, the support rods 9 are inserted into preformed apertures 9 in the apparatus housing 11 that is to be mounted on the clamp-andbracket of the present invention, and the length of the support rods 9 is made greater than that of the support 3 to extend above the clips 5. The housing 11 is then locked in position across the mouth of the base 1, restricting lateral movement of the clamp-and-bracket 1,. 3, 5 and thus preventingits detachment from the mast 7 while the housing 11 is present. The ready inserting or withdrawing of the bracket support rods 9 into or from the apertures 9 of the housing 11 provides an extremely simple but highly effective passive supporting structure, as well.

While the invention has been illustrated in terms of horizontal and vertical or upward application, and the terms substantially U-shaped and C-shaped have been employed, it is to be understood that other orientations may be employed so that the term upward is to be so interpreted, and that V-shaped and other similar departures from strictly U-shape and C-shape may also be employed. Further modifications will also occur to those skilled in the art and all such are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mast-mounting clip-and-bracket having, in combination, a substantially U-shaped base member provided with first support means extending upward from the neck of the substantially U-shaped base and second support means integral with and extending upward from the base near at least one of the free ends thereof, and resilient substantially C-shaped clip means secured to and carried by the first support means substantially parallel to but displaced upward from the base member and with its free ends disposed on the same side of the first support means as the said free ends of the base member.

2. A clip-and-bracket as claimed in claim 1 and in which the arms of the U-shaped base member slightly diverge from the neck.

3. A clip-and-bracket as claimed in claim 1 and in which the arms of the C-s'naped clip means slightly converge at least in part toward the free ends.

4. A clip-and-bracket as claimed in claim 3 and in which the said free ends of the C-shaped clip means reversely curve outward.

5. A mast-mounting clip-and-bracket having, in combination, a substantially U-shaped base member provided with first support means extending upward from the neck of the substantially U-shaped base and second support means integral with and extending upward from the base near at least one of the free ends thereof, and resilient substantially C-shaped clip means of dimensions smaller than those of the U-shaped base member secured to and carried by the first support means substantially parallel to but displaced upward from the base member and with the free ends of the C-shaped clip means disposed on 6. A mast-mounting clip-and-bracket having, in combination, a substantially U-shaped base member provided With first support means extending upward from the neck of the substantially U-shaped base and second support means integral with and extending upward from the base near at least one of the free endsthereof, the second support means being longer than the first support means.

7. A clip-and-oracket as claimed in claim 5 and in which the arms of the U-shaped base member slightly diverge from the neck whereas the arms of the C-shaped clip means converge at least in part.

8. A mast-mounting clip-and-bracket having, in combination, a substantially U-shaped base member provided with first support means extending upward from the neck of the substantially U-shaped base and second support means integral with and extending upward from the base near at least one of the free ends thereof, resilient substantially O-shaped clip means secured to and carried by the first support means substantially parallel to but displaced upward from the base member and with its free ends disposed on the same side of the first support means as the said free ends of the base member, and a housing provided with means for connecting with the second support means to secure the housing at the mouth of the U-shaped base member.

9. A mast-mounting clip-and-bracket having, in combination, a substantially U-shaped base member provided with first support means extending upward from the neck of the substantially U-shaped base and second support means integral with and extending upward from the base near at least one of the free ends thereof, resilient substantially C-shaped clip means of dimensions smaller than those of the U-shaped base member secured to and "which the clip means comprises a pair of substantially carried by the first support means substantially parallel to but displaced upward from the base member and with the free ends of the C-shaped clip means disposed on the same side of the first support means as the said free ends of the base member, and a housing provided with apertures for receiving and connecting with the second support means to secure the housing at the mouth of the U-shaped base member. I

10. A clip-and bracket as claimed in claim 9 and in which the second support means comprises a pair of supports, one extending from each free end of the base, and the housing contains a pair of apertures, one for receiving each support inorder to secure the housing across the said mouth of the base member.

11. A clip-and-bracket as claimed in claim '10 and in parallel Oshaped clip means.

12. A clip-and-bracket as claimed in claim 10 and in which the arms of the C-shaped clip means slightly converge.

13. A clip-and-bracket as claimed in claim 12 and in which the free ends of the G-shaped clip means are reversely curved.

14. A clip-and-braclcet as claimed in claim 10 and in which the arms of the U-shaped base member slightly diverge. I

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 766,028 Fisher July 26, 1904- 1,3l7,590 Obolewicz Sept. 30, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS 775,664 Great Britain May 29, 1957 

1. A MAST-MOUNTING CLIP-AND-BRACKET HAVING, IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED BASE MEMBER PROVIDED WITH FIRST SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING UPWARD FROM THE NECK OF THE SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED BASE AND SECOND SUPPORT MEANS INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING UPWARD FROM THE BASE NEAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE FREE ENDS THEREOF, AND RESILIENT SUBSTANTIALLY C-SHAPED CLIP MEANS SECURED TO AND CARRIED BY THE FIRST SUPPORT MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO BUT DISPLACED UPWARD FROM THE BASE MEMBER AND WITH ITS FREE ENDS DISPOSED ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE FIRST SUPPORT MEANS AS THE SAID FREE ENDS OF THE BASE MEMBER. 